In Bordeaux and Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon reigns supreme. In Burgundy and the Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir is the star variety. And in Barolo and Barbaresco, it’s all about Nebbiolo. Barolo produces many of Italy’s most revered wines, but Barbaresco is where the vintners…

In a roomful of wine geeks—and I use that term lovingly, as I’m sure I’d be considered one—there are two topics that are guaranteed to get the tongues wagging: Do vintages really matter? Do appellations really matter? We’ll save No. 1 for another …

Imagine a wine region being granted official “appellation” status for a single grape variety. Actually, you don’t need to imagine. That is the story of Rías Baixas (ree-ahs-buy-shuss), generally considered the most important Denomination of Origin…

It’s rare for an American Viticultural Area’s name to be so descriptive of its geophysical nature. But in the northwestern corner of Sonoma County, on stark, hardscrabble ridgelines overlooking Lake Sonoma, you’ll find the AVA known as Rockpile. T…

Winemaking icon Jess Jackson is no longer with us, but several years before his death, he led the charge for the establishment of a new American Viticultural Area in California’s Sonoma County: the Sonoma Coast. Whereas most AVAs are relatively sm…

Long famous as the source of Port wine, the Douro in northeast Portugal now also is renowned for its fine, rich, non-fortified wines. This is one of the wildest, most mountainous and rugged wine regions of Portugal, cut through in deep twists and …

American Viticultural Areas—or AVAs, for short—are the United States’ equivalent of France’s “appellations.” They are unique, geographically-defined plots of land. Some are quite small, covering just a few acres. Others are massive, such as the Te…

In France and Italy, the winemakers are known for—what’s the polite word?—exaggerating the quality and success of the winegrape harvest. When every vintage is “the vintage of the century,” the “CLE” tends to kick in. For those not familiar with th…

The Leelanau Peninsula often is referred to as “Michigan’s Wine Coast.” But if you were to look at a map that plots the peninsula’s wine estates, it actually could be thought of as two coasts. On the eastern side of the peninsula, you’ll find wine…

In most regions of France, only a few grapes are permitted in making wine that carries the appellation’s designation on the label. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is different. Traditionally, 13 varieties have been permitted to be grown and used in the winema…